A Turkish drilling vessel has arrived in Somalia’s capital ahead of the country’s first offshore oil exploration campaign, marking a major step in expanding energy cooperation between Ankara and Mogadishu, officials said.
The ship, identified as the Cagri Bey, docked at Mogadishu port on Friday after entering Somali waters a day earlier, according to Somali and Turkish authorities. The vessel’s arrival comes as Somalia prepares to begin offshore drilling operations under a 2024 hydrocarbons agreement with Turkey.
The deal granted Turkey’s state-owned energy company rights to explore three offshore blocks, each covering approximately 5,000 square kilometres (1,900 square miles), along Somalia’s Indian Ocean coastline.
Officials said seismic surveys were already conducted in late 2024 using another Turkish vessel to identify potential drilling sites before the start of full-scale exploration.
“It docked this morning… the ship is very big, we have never seen anything like this at the port before,” said Abshir Yare, a port employee in Mogadishu, describing the scale of the vessel as it entered the capital’s harbour.
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The Cagri Bey, painted with a red bow featuring a white star and crescent, is equipped with a drilling derrick and is expected to begin operations described by Somali officials as the country’s first-ever offshore drilling project.
Somalia’s state news agency SONNA reported that the campaign marks a historic milestone in the country’s efforts to unlock its offshore hydrocarbon potential, which has remained largely unexplored for decades due to conflict and limited technical capacity.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the mission also represents a first for Turkey, as it extends its deep-sea drilling operations beyond its territorial waters.
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The minister said on social media platform X that the project would be Turkey’s “first overseas deep-sea drilling” effort, reflecting Ankara’s growing global energy footprint.
Bayraktar was expected to attend a ceremony at Mogadishu port alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, according to SONNA, underscoring the political significance of the project for both governments.
The development builds on a broader strategic partnership between Turkey and Somalia that has expanded over the past decade. Ankara has become one of Mogadishu’s key military and economic allies, including through the establishment of Turkey’s largest overseas military base in the Somali capital in 2017.
The base has been a cornerstone of Turkey’s engagement in Somalia, combining security cooperation with infrastructure development, humanitarian support, and training programmes for Somali security forces.
Energy cooperation has emerged as a new pillar of the relationship, particularly as Somalia seeks to attract foreign investment into its underdeveloped natural resource sector while rebuilding state institutions.
Officials say the offshore blocks under exploration could hold significant hydrocarbon potential, although commercial viability remains uncertain pending drilling results.
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The arrival of the drilling vessel comes as Somalia continues to stabilise its petroleum governance framework, with authorities seeking to balance resource development with regulatory oversight and international partnerships.
For Somalia, the project represents a high-stakes effort to diversify revenue sources in a fragile economy heavily dependent on aid, remittances, and agriculture.
For Turkey, the operation extends its energy exploration footprint into East Africa, reinforcing its growing diplomatic and commercial presence across the region.
As the Cagri Bey begins preparations for offshore drilling, officials on both sides describe the initiative as a long-term partnership aimed at unlocking Somalia’s untapped energy potential while deepening bilateral ties.
